The invention relates to an apparatus for the optical scanning of objects wherein the light from one or more light sources falls on one or more light-sensitive sensors and the objects to be scanned are disposed between the light sources and the sensors.
Optical recognition of deviations from the desired structure during the production and packaging of a wide variety of products is a known practice. In this practice, light rays emanating from a light source are reflected, for example, by the object being scanned and impinge on photocells, secondary-electron multipliers or other recording means. Subsequent means serve to indicate the recognized deviations and, optionally, to actuate other means which eliminate the object recognized as defective from the production or packaging process. Prior-art apparatuses of this type have the drawback that they are of relatively complex and costly construction and utilize a great many individual components as sensors, so that in the case of small objects to be scanned, as in the inspection of tablets, for example, complicated and time-consuming repairs are necessary when an individual sensor element fails.